


Mind on Fire

by InsaneJK



Category: Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Drug Use, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Police
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:29:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24154339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsaneJK/pseuds/InsaneJK
Summary: Tazanna Ross.  Everything was going right in her life; it was her junior year of high school, and she was under constant care from her loving mother and brother.  That is, until the world crumbles around her.  Her mother commits suicide, her brother gets taken by the police, and she's left to run from her past.  She can't go back into her father's 'care'.  She can't.Then, she meets a set of brothers who would change her life forever; for better or for worse.There will be multiple love interests through out this story, but Sean will be the most prevalent.I do not own Life is Strange, only my OCs.
Relationships: Finn McNamara/Original Female Character(s), Sean Diaz/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Short chapter, but this is just a prologue

“Taz— _ Taz _ !” I practically leaped off the mattress in fright as I felt Jack shaking me awake, my eyes wide as I glanced around the dark van.

“Jack…?” I frowned, relaxing ever so slightly at the sight of my older brother in the dim light streaming through the window.

“Taz, they—” his voice dropped as the sound of crunching leaves reached our ears from somewhere not too far, “The police are here, someone must have recognized me when I was in town, I—I’ll distract them.”

“What?” My brows furrowed as I whispered, “Then what do I do?”

“Taz, listen to me.” He grabbed me by the shoulders, his hands comforting though his expression was stern, “Grab everything, take the van, and get out of here. I’ll let them take me in since I’m no longer required to live with Dad, but you— you need to get the hell out of here.”

“What?” I shook my head, my brows furrowed, “No, I’m not…”

“Just listen to me for one goddamn time, Taz.” He nearly winced at his own words, “Take everything -- the money, everything — and get the fuck out of California.”

Slowly, I nodded, my breaths shaky and uneven as he quickly stepped out of the van’s sliding door. I could hear the pounding of his footsteps running through the forest, the group of voices following him away from the van.

I forced my tears away as I hopped out of the van, sliding the door to the back of the conversion van shut before rushing around the front of the van. I stepped into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut behind me, locking all the doors. I turned the key in the ignition before tearing down the path we had taken to get into this secluded part of the forest.


	2. Chapter 1

The road was empty; not a single person was out driving this early in the morning-- in the middle of the forest, no less. It’d been a little over a day and a half since my brother was found by the police, and I was  _ still  _ running.

_ Maybe Canada? _ I shook my head at this thought,  _ No, too far… and too much of a hassle. _

My throat was dry; I had run out of water hours ago, as well as food. 

Honestly, I didn’t have anything in this stupid old van. Sure, my hippie mom converted it into a mini campervan with a bed and a small kitchen, but the stove was out of propane, and the sink had run dry ages ago.

And if I were being honest, I even doubted I had enough gas to get to the next gas station, nor did I have any way to pay for said gas other than with cash. I was sure the person at the front desk of any gas station would find it weird if a seventeen year old girl pulled out a hundred dollar bill for gas money. Shit, they would call the cops if they saw how much money I had stashed in my wallet.

_ The perks of being a drug dealer’s little sister, I suppose. _

As if on cue, the gas light came on, a groan escaping my lips as I kept driving.

Somehow, I managed to make it to a small gas station situated in the middle of nowhere, the tall trees surrounding the shop and shading the van as I pulled into a parking spot. I wasn’t about to risk getting found out over a little bit of gas money. 

I grabbed my wallet, taking out three twenties and stashing them in my pocket before tossing the wallet into the glove compartment. Grabbing the keys out of the ignition, I hopped out of the old van, stepping back and closing the door.

The van was a cream color on the top half, and a deep brown on the bottom, a few white and orange lines separating the top from the bottom. 

_ We should have taken better care of it… _

The rust was getting so bad I was afraid the whole van would crumble while I was driving. Jack didn’t seem to care, though, and Mom got too depressed to keep the California air from destroying it when she was alive. 

I locked the doors before stepping onto the sidewalk, making my way towards the door of the shop. I needed to buy as much as I could, knowing this could be my last stop for a while. I needed something warm to sleep on, as I assumed after another thirty minutes of driving, the van would suck the engine dry of gas. I’d be walking for a long time.

I looked up from my eyes as I made my final few strides towards the door, locking eyes with a tall, dark haired boy with what I assumed to be his younger brother. The two of us made it to the door at the same time, the boy holding the door open for his brother, then waiting for me to pass through as well.

“Thanks.” I mumbled, stepping into the store.

_ Holy shit… _

_ Air conditioning. _

I felt like I was in heaven; the van’s AC broke down ages ago, and it was so hot out here I felt like I was going to die of heatstroke while driving.

I quickly made my way past the boys into the food aisle, grabbing the cheapest things with high calories before moving onto the drinks. I grabbed a liter bottle of water, tucking it under my arm as I mentally calculated how much money I had left.

Just enough to get a sleeping bag.

I stepped up to the cashier, setting down my things with a smile before rushing towards the camping gear, grabbing a sleeping bag and setting it down with the other items. 

“That sure is a lot, honey.” The woman spoke, her voice rasped from years of cigarette smoke, “Where are you staying?”

“Oh,” I smiled, pointing at my van through the window, “It’s a conversion van-- my mom’s. My older brother and I are on a road trip and we ran out of food.” I let out a small laugh as I rubbed the back of my neck, “I guess we underestimated how hungry we would get.” 

“Where is your brother?” She asked, my lips pulling into a smile.

“He’s taking a nap in the back.”

She nodded, suspicion etched into her expression as she began to scan all the items I had on the table.

“Ooh!” A voice from beside me caused me to jump in surprise, my head spinning to see the same two boys from earlier, the youngest of the two kneeling down to a basket beside the counter I hadn’t even noticed. In the basket sat a puppy, its bright brown eyes staring up at the boys excitedly as it wagged its tail, “It’s a puppy, Sean!”

“Sure is.” the older of the brothers spoke, looking down at the two. I smiled, letting out a laugh, causing the boy to look up at me.

“Who’s dog is it?” I asked, tearing my eyes away from the teen’s, though I could still feel his eyes on me. 

“Just another stray mutt.” the woman sighed, leaning against the counter. 

“Aww…” The little boy frowned, “He must be sad… What’s his name?”

“That’s a ‘she’.” the woman snapped, the boy nodding before pulling on his brother’s arm.

“Could  _ we  _ have the puppy?” he asked, his eyes bright with enthusiasm as the teen frowned, looking at the dog thoughtfully.

“Let me think…” the teen sighed, “I dunno, it’s a pretty huge responsibility.” 

“Yeah!” the younger brother exclaimed, “It would be so cool.”

“We need  _ adults _ to take care of her.” the woman sneered, the teen frowning as my brows furrowed. I bit back my tongue from pointing out her inability to be polite as she turned back to me, “Sorry, that will be fifty-two dollars and eighty seven cents.” 

I nodded, handing her the three twenties. As she began counting out the change, I quickly sent the boy an apologetic look, the boy sending back a smile before rolling his eyes at the woman. I smiled back before turning towards the cashier, holding out my hand as she looked up from the change, putting the money into my open palm.

“Have a great day.” I smiled at her after having piled everything into my arms, ignoring her surprised look as I made my way towards the door, turning and pushing it open with my back, sending a final smile towards the teen as I stepped out of the gas station.

I made my way towards my van, sliding the door open and setting down all the goods onto the floor of the van. I stepped into the van, ducking to ensure I didn’t hit my head as I made my way towards the campervan’s bed, pulling open one of the drawers under it and grabbing my camping bag from it. I turned, setting the bag down on the floor beside all the new food I grabbed and sliding the door shut, shutting myself inside the van’s dim light. 

I quickly began to pack everything I needed into the bag, including things that I already had in the van. I went through the cabinets, a smile on my lips as I found a box of my brother’s things. 

I moved to the bed, looking over the tin box with a melancholy smile. It was a plain, silver tin with the words 'Humboldt, California” stamped into the center of the lid. I popped it open, looking through all the polaroids and photos he had stashed in it.

I had never gone through my brother’s things since we left everything behind, but it was nice to see all the photos he kept of me and my mom.

There were a few of me and him, a few of all three of us on my sixteenth birthday, and practically a dozen of him and I with our friends.

Ever since the divorce between my parents, Jack and I were inseparable. We had the same group of friends, the same interests, everything. The only thing we didn’t have in common was the drug dealing part. Sure, I’d hit the occasional blunt, and I did smoke (though very little), but I wasn’t smoking practically every other night like he did.

I thumbed through the polaroids, coming across one in particular that made me smile.

It was Jack, Finn and I all sitting around a fire in front of a lake. It was the trip my brother and I had taken last year a few months after my birthday. We had taken the van down to a little town called Lake City, Colorado. We ran into a group of freight hoppers and we hit it off instantly. Hell, after we left, we’d get the occasional postcard from Finn and his friends from the various places they traveled.

I packed the last of my things into the bag, making sure to put the box of photos in between all my other things so it’d stay safe. As I finished, I heard some yelling coming from outside the van. 

My gaze jumped to the window, my eyes widening as they watched an older man punch the teen from before in the stomach, the little brother running away from the scene in my direction. 

I slid open the door with a slam, stepping out of the van and onto the pavement, “C’mon!” I hissed at the boy, who hesitated before jumping into the van. I jumped in behind him, slamming the door shut behind us and jumping over the divider into the driver’s seat.

I hit the lock button, the locks clicking simultaneously just as the older man got to the van, pounding his fists against the van.

I tore out of the parking spot, the man stumbling back as I sped down the road.

After about ten minutes, the engine ran out of gas, forcing me to pull to the side of the road.

“Are you okay?” I turned to the back of the van, locking eyes with the terrified boy. He nodded, “We’ll get your brother back, okay?”

The boy nodded, watching as I began to rummage through my glove box. I pulled out my wallet, then my brother’s pocket knife before climbing back over the divider, kneeling down and stowing the items away in my camping bag.

“Who are you…?” 

I glanced up at the boy from where I was, a small smile on my lips, “I’m Taz. What’s your name?”

“Daniel.” 

I nodded, pushing to my feet and sliding the door open, “Can you tell me what happened?”

“That man… he started accusing us of stealing from his store…” Daniel frowned, my head bobbing up and down as I helped him out of the van. He landed on his feet with a thud, watching as I slid the door shut behind him, locking the van with my key before turning back to him.

“Why?”

“I don’t know!” Daniel was panicking at this point, his eyes jumping up to the stormy clouds above us, “Then he punched Sean, and-- and…”

“Hey, it’s okay.” I sent him a reassuring smile, “We’ll go around the back of the gas station, get to a back door somewhere, and get him out of there.”

Daniel nodded, seemingly choking back his tears as his expression turned from one of fear to one of determination. I smiled, “That’s it, kiddo. Let’s get your brother out of there.” 

Against all my better judgement, Something made me want to help the two boys. I wasn’t sure what. I knew full well that if the police got involved, then I would be screwed, but somehow, I felt like I could do it without getting caught. Plus, that asshole reminded me all too much of my father.

We walked for what seemed like forever, the sky darkening even more as the moon began to shine through the clouds. Rain slowly began to fall, and as we got closer to the gas station, the rain worsened. The walk was silent, and we soon moved into the cover of the forest.

Finally, we made our way around to the back of the gas station, my eyes landing on a back door. I turned to Daniel, kneeling to his height as I spoke, “Daniel, listen. You stay right here and watch to make sure nothing goes wrong. Watch my back for me, okay, kiddo?”

Daniel opened his mouth to argue, only for the boy to nod with a sigh. I stepped out of the forest, my hair sticking to my face and my tanktop and jeans clinging to my body from the rain as I rushed towards the door, glancing in through the window. I could see Sean; his face bloodied and his hands tied to a pipe lining the walls. I didn’t see anyone else, my hands quickly getting to work as I pulled my bag off my shoulder, rummaging through it for anything that could help. I grabbed my brother’s ID from the pouch, looking over the card before zipping up the bag.

This would be the only time I was thankful for my dick of a father-- It taught me how to be sneaky. 

I quickly got to work, placing the card between the door and the doorframe, wiggling the card and the door until the lock gave out, the door pushing open. I turned, waving Daniel over. 

I watched as the boy ran out of the forest towards the building, rushing into the room and immediately going to his brother’s aid. I stepped inside, pulling my bag back onto my shoulder. 

“Quiet, Daniel.” I hissed, kneeling down to Sean and pulling the pocket knife from my pocket. I quickly cut the zip-ties off his wrist, the boy’s hands jumping to the cuts the ties had caused as he nodded his thanks. I nodded back.

“Did that asshole see you?” Sean asked, his question mostly directed towards Daniel, though his eyes flickered back towards me. 

“No, I’m  _ invisible _ .” Daniel grinned as Sean let out a huff.

“Yeah you are.” he turned to his bag, quickly forcing his stuff back into the small backpack as I watched Daniel go towards the office door, my eyes widening.

“Daniel!” I hissed, but it was too late. I rushed to the door to see the man’s hand wrapped around the boy’s arm.

I rushed towards the two, ready to punch the son of a bitch if I had to, but just as I stepped into the room, everything flew away from Daniel, the man going flying as he crashed against the aisle of camping gear. The invisible force surging from Daniel caused the entire room to become a mess, the light above us blowing out. 

“What… What happened?” Sean exclaimed as he rushed into the room, passing me and moving towards his brother, “What did you do?”

“I… I don’t know…” Daniel seemed absolutely terrified, the boy clinging to Sean’s arm and shaking it as he spoke, “I don’t know what happened.”

“It’s…. okay.” Sean spoke, though there was some sort of spark in his eye, like he had some idea of what happened, “You’re safe, now.” 

My eyes jumped to the flashing lights outside, “C’mon! Move your asses.” I barked, the boys turning to me in panic as Sean rushed out of the room once more.

I watched as Daniel scooped up the puppy, my lips pulling into a frown as he rushed past me after his brother. I quickly followed the two, the three of us running through the forest with no idea where we were going.

“What about your van?” Sean called, my head shaking as we ran.

“Outta gas. Keep running.” I yelled back, the three of us jumping over fallen logs and tree roots. 

Finally, Sean came to a stop, pointing over at a car sitting beside the road, “Over there, now!”

I hesitated, watching as the boys ran towards the car. I slowly followed, jogging after them.

“You guys okay…?” a man asked, my body tensing as I stepped up behind them, “You don’t look okay.” 

“That asshole…” Sean barked between heaving breaths, “At the gas station… went fucking crazy… tied me up in his back office--”

“Dude, say no more, I believe you. Okay?” The man pushed open the door, “Shit gets crazy out in the woods-- get in.” he glanced at me, “You too.” 

I nodded, climbing in after Daniel in the back as Sean ran around the front, sitting in the passenger’s side and slamming the door as the man sped down the road.

Sean began to explain what had happened to the man, who introduced himself to me as Brody. Despite the fact that he seemed like a cool dude, I could still feel the occasional glance towards me coming from him, my brows furrowed as I looked down at the ground.

“Damn, that is  _ crazy… _ ” Brody frowned, Sean turning back to look at the two of us, locking eyes with me for a moment, “And I thought I was having a shitty day… I knew that guy was sketchy…”

“Did he mess with you, too?” Sean asked the man, turning back to look at him.

“He started to earlier,” Brody sighed, “But I bought too much stuff, just to piss him off…” he huffed, looking over at Sean, “Welcome to redneck land… This ain’t Seattle no more.”

“We only lived in one place my whole life.” Sean frowned, looking out the window, “Kinda lame, but…”

“Well,” Brody smiled, “You’re pretty young, you have time. That’s what’s great about traveling. It… gives you perspective.”

“Sometimes maybe too much.” Sean frowned, turning around once more to look at me, “Why did you help us?”

I huffed, “That asshole reminded me  _ way  _ too much of my asshole father. I wasn’t about to let him pick on you two like my dad used to with me.” 

“What about your van?” Sean asked, “Aren’t you worried…?”

“No.” I frowned, “I’ve had a lot of good memories in that van. I don’t want to ruin them with the ones about to come. Plus, it was a total POS car; everything was rusted.”

“What kind of van?” Brody asked, glancing through the rearview mirror at me.

“1977 Chevy.” I smiled, “My mom was a total hippie; the whole thing is converted; a bed, a working faucet, stove, you name it.” 

“Nice.” Brody spoke with a laugh, “I’ve always wanted a conversion van.” 

I smiled, nodding.

“Well.” Brody sighed, turning back to the road, “Don’t let it phase you, little dude. You’re going to meet some amazing people on the road, too.” 

Suddenly, the dog Daniel had stolen barked, causing an irresistible smile to spread across my lips as Sean jumped, looking back at the boy, who pretended to start coughing. 

“What’s under the blanket?” the older of the two asked, the boy hesitating, “C’mon, I’m not stupid.” 

Finally, Daniel’s pride faltered, the boy pulling back the blanket on his lap to reveal the small puppy we had seen in the shop.

Sean rolled his eyes with a groan, “Daniel!” 

“What!” Daniel exclaimed as Brody began to chuckle, “We saved her! We’re  _ heroes _ .” 

“Yeah…” Sean sighed, “I guess we are.” 

“So…” Daniel smiled as the puppy yawned, leaning against his chest, “What should her name be?”

“Hey,” Sean smiled, locking eyes with me for a moment before looking back at Daniel, “Your dog, your choice.” 

“Oh,” Daniel gasped, “Cool! Let’s see… how ‘bout…  _ Mushroom _ ? She totally looks like a Mushroom.” 

“C’mon,” Sean huffed, “That’s not even a name, dude!” 

“But…” Daniel whined, “I  _ love  _ Mushroom, and you said it was  _ my  _ choice.”

“Okay, okay.” Sean sighed, a small laugh escaping my lips, “But this one’s on you.” 

“Ooh,” Daniel exclaimed, “Yeah!”

“Nice!” Brody laughed, “I feel like I just witnessed history. You’re on your way to becoming official road warriors, my dudes.”

There was a moment of silence, my hands slinging my bag off my shoulders and onto the floor of the car. I leaned against the window, looking out into the dark, rainy storm clouds.

“Sounds like you’ve been on the road for a long time…?” Sean spoke, glancing over at Brody.

“Long, boring story short…” Brody sighed, “I come from a family with money… but no soul. I took off after school, and never looked back.” He shrugged, “Now I write stories for ‘zines and websites. Do podcasts… protest… Try to make some positive change.”

“Wow…” Sean frowned, “So you’re like all… Political.” 

“Everything is political, Sean.” Brody frowned.

“What about you, Taz?” Sean asked, his eyes jumping to mine, “Why are you on the road.” 

I tensed, shrugging as I looked down at my hands. After I didn’t say anything for a while, Sean spoke once more, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“You’re fine, Sean.” I smiled over at him, “It’s just a long story.” 

I could feel Brody’s eyes on me, but I avoided looking back as I looked back out the window. 

Sean asked Brody a few more questions while Daniel laid down, falling asleep the moment his head hit the mattress.

“Looks like your brother crashed hard,” Brody huffed, Sean nodding.

“Good,” he smiled, “He always goes right to sleep in cars. 

“Yeah,” Brody nodded, “And feel free to do the same. Both of you.” 

“What about you?” Sean frowned, “You okay to drive?”

“Oh yeah,” Brody nodded, “This… is my favorite time to drive. Traveling by night is kinda… mysterious.”

Sean nodded, the boy leaning against the car door. He was out within minutes, and soon, Brody and I were the only ones awake.

“You’re… Tazanna Ross, right?” my stomach dropped at his words, my shoulders tensing as he continued, “I’m not gonna turn you in, kid. I just wanna know what happened.” 

I paused, my eyes jumping to his in the rearview mirror only for a sigh to tumble from my lips, “My mom… she always had depression, drug issues, the whole shabang… I guess she just couldn’t move past everything with my dad, and… well…” I shook my head, “Jack-- my brother, he found the body. I was asleep. Je grabbed me, told me to grab everything I could fit into one bag, and we left.” 

“Why…?” Brody frowned.

“I didn’t want to live with my dad.” I frowned.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s an abusive, pedophelic piece of shit.” I snapped, “He’s acting all worried about my brother and I because he wants his punching bags back. Thank god my brother turned eighteen last week, or else he would have had to live with him when he got caught two days ago.” 

Brody nodded, staying silent for a moment, “I just wanted to make sure you’re doing the right thing.” 

I nodded, rubbing my hands over my bare arms as I spoke, “I still have nightmares about him, even though it’s been almost seven years since I last saw him… My brother got the worst of it, though.”

“Where are you going, now?” Brody asked, my shoulders jumping.

“I dunno. Wherever I can survive, I guess.” I sighed, “Maybe I’ll run into my old friends.” 

“I’ll get you three a motel room for the night,” Brody offered, my eyes jumping up to his as he continued, my brows furrowing.

“Don’t they have to get back to their dad…?” I frowned, the man shaking his head.

Brody sighed, “Talk to him when you get the chance. Mention what happened in Seattle.” Slowly, I nodded, the man turning to the road, “Now get some rest.” 

I hadn’t even realized how heavy my eyelids were until he said those words, my head bobbing up and down as I leaned my head against the window.

The world went dark, pulling me into a dreamless sleep. 

I took in a deep breath, the crisp, ocean air filling my lungs as I sat beside Sean on a large rock beside Brody’s car.

“Well,” Brody spoke as he walked towards us, “I got you that room.” 

“Seriously?” Sean asked, turning around to face Brody, “I--”

“It’s only a room,” Brody smiled, “No big deal.”

Brody handed me the keys, Sean watching as I pushed to my feet, stretching my arms above my head.

“Is it alright if I take a shower, Sean?” I asked, the boy nodding as he looked away, “Thanks.” 

I grabbed my bag, only for Brody to place a hand on my shoulder, stopping me from making my way towards the motel, “Remember what I said.”

I glanced over at Sean before nodding, “Thanks, Brody. For everything.” 

He nodded, “Don’t worry about it, kid.” 

I smiled, walking past Brody and towards the motel. I passed the rooms, climbing the stairs and making my way towards room ten. 

I stepped into the room, the smell of dust and faint cigarette smoke looming in the air. I left the door unlocked behind me, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door, locking it.

I turned to the shower, a sigh escaping my lips. I hadn’t taken a shower since… well, about three weeks ago, before mom… 

I shook my head as though I were shaking the bad thoughts away from my mind, instead turning to the shower and turning the faucet to a semi-hot temperature. 

I quickly stripped from my damp tank top and jeans, tossing them onto the floor before moving onto my bra and underwear. 

I stepped into the steaming shower, scrubbing all the grime off my body, even taking the time to shave after washing my long, curly honey brown hair. 

I heard the door leading outside open, the sound of Sean and Daniel’s voices entering the room behind the closed bathroom door, the motel room door shutting behind them.

I quickly finished up in the shower before hopping out, drying myself off and changing into a set of fresh clothes; an oversized t-shirt and some athletic shorts. 

I rushed while brushing my teeth, skipping over my hair as I packed my things back away in my bag.

I stepped out of the bathroom, sitting down on the bed closest to the bathroom while Sean and Daniel sat on the other bed, watching the TV.

“Bath’s all yours.” I sighed as I tied my hair into a bun, Sean nodding as he slid off the bed to his feet. 

“I’ll take care of the bath.” Sean ruffled his brother’s hair, the boy slapping his hand away, “Remember, you’re up soon.”

“Yeah, I know.” Daniel sighed, looking back up to the TV as Sean made his way towards the bathroom.

“There are some towels in there for you two.” I spoke, my hands dropping from my hair into my lap.

Sean nodded, turning to Daniel, “Daniel, there are towels in the bathroom, don’t forget to use them.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Daniel rolled his eyes, watching as I pushed to my feet, “Where are you going?”

“Just gonna see what the view is like on the porch.” I smiled, picking up my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. Sean made his way towards the bathroom while I stepped out onto the porch, my eyes scanning over the ocean view. The sky was clear, and the moon was shining down on the water and sand, lighting up the entire area as though it were day.

I sighed, setting my bag down on one of the chairs. I quickly pulled a small cigarette tin from the side pocket, my eyes glazing over the engraved letters across the top.

_ J.R. _

Janie Roid. My mom. 

I smiled, running my thumb over the letters before popping it open, pulling one of the many cigarettes from the box. I shut it once more, stowing it away in my bag.

“Hey.” I nearly jumped at Sean’s voice as the boy slid the glass door shut behind him.

“Shit, you scared me.” I let out a small huff of laughter, Sean letting out one of his own.

“Sorry.” he offered a smile, his eyes landing on the stick of cancer between my fingers. “Here,” he pulled a lighter from his pocket, a smile crossing my lips.

“What a gentleman.” I joked, allowing the boy to light my cigarette before turning my back to the moon, facing the teen, “Who are you, Sean?”

The boy’s eyes furrowed, “What do you mean?”

“Brody mentioned something earlier-- saying that I should ask about what happened in Seattle.” my brows furrowed, “Look, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, but if you’re on the streets or running from the cops, I just want you to know we’re in the same boat.” 

I pulled the cigarette to my lips, taking a deep huff from the stick before turning, offering it to the boy. He gladly took it from my fingers, bringing it to his lips before handing it back to me, smoke escaping his lips and nose.

“I saw your missing person's photo-- in the newspaper a few days ago.” Sean frowned, nodding, “If you explain what’s going on with you, I’ll explain what we’re going through.”

I gave a small smile, flicking the ash from the cig, “Sounds like a deal, Sean. I’m running from my dad, not the police.” 

“Why?” Sean frowned, “What happened?”

“My mom committed suicide about a month ago.” I frowned, crossing my arms, “My brother and I ran because we knew that meant living with our father. My dad… He’s not a good man. When we were younger, he would beat the shit out of my brother, and do… other things to me.” Sean’s expression paled as the words left my lips, watching me carefully as I continued, “We got found a few nights ago. My brother turned eighteen last week, so he didn’t have to worry about our dad anymore, so he decided to risk himself getting caught so I could escape.”

Sean nodded, “Where are you from…?”

“My mom, brother and I lived in Humboldt, California. My dad lives in L.A.-- he’s a big businessman, y’know?” I shrugged, “That’s the main reason we ran. He has such a good reputation in every way. No one would believe us if we tried to say anything.” 

Sean nodded, staying silent.

“It’s your turn to talk.” I smirked, pulling the cig to my lips before handing it to him. 

Sean nodded his thanks with a small, worrisome smile before taking a long drag, handing it back to me, “Daniel just wanted to play zombie outside… then our asshole neighbor started picking on him, threatening to beat him up. So I went outside to defend Daniel, then the asshole started spewing out a ton of racist bullshit and took a swing at me. So we got into a fight, and…” 

He stopped, something in his expression changing, “A cop saw. He pulled over, told us to get on the ground. We listened, but then Dad came outside. He tried to reason with the cop, but then…” his eyes were glazed over, as though he were reliving the whole thing. He leaned his elbows on the railing, holding his head in his hands as he finished, “He killed our dad for no  _ fucking  _ reason. Then there was some sort of explosion, and when I woke up, the cop was dead. I picked up our stuff, grabbed Daniel, and ran.” 

I nodded, my eyes lowering, “The explosion… did it come from Daniel?”

Sean’s brows furrowed, the boy slowly nodding as I continued.

“I  _ saw  _ the explosion-- back in the gas station, I mean. I saw everything just shoot away from Daniel, like… like there was some sort of invisible bomb that couldn’t touch either of us.” I looked over at Sean, “There is something… Special about your brother, Sean.” 

“He doesn’t remember anything that happened back in Seattle.” Sean frowned… “He doesn’t know about this weird… power he has. I don’t even know if it was him or something else.” 

I nodded, “You have to tell him, Sean. He’ll find out on his own if you don’t, and he’ll lose trust.” 

Sean nodded, taking the cigarette from my outstretched fingers, “I know. I’ll tell him tonight.” 

“I’ll stay out here, give you two some privacy.” I smiled, a twinge of guilt in my voice, “It’s not your fault, Sean. You can’t control stupid shit the world throws at you. You can only react.”

Sean nodded, “Thanks, Taz.” 

“Yeah.” I smiled, moving towards my bag once more, “I saw you writing in some sort of jornal earlier-- in the car. What do you write?”

“I draw, actually,” Sean smiled sheepishly, offering me the cigarette which I waved off, “Mostly people… animals… anything I see, really.” 

I smiled, “My mom wanted to be an artist-- she mostly carved stuff. Taught me a little bit, too. I guess that’s where I get my creativity from.” I looked over at the boy as I pulled my journal from my bag, “I just write, though.” 

“What kind of stuff?” Sean asked, his brows jumping as the small leather journal piqued his interest.

“Vignettes, mostly.” I shrugged, “Short little pieces that doesn’t really have anything to do with the event, but conveys the same emotion. I don’t really write anything realistic. And hell, I  _ cannot  _ do poetry.” 

Sean laughed, “I got a C last semester in Poetry.” 

“I feel that.” I smiled, a chuckle escaping my lips.

“Where are you headed?” Sean asked, my shoulders jumping.

“Anywhere that isn’t close to my dad.” I bit my lip, “Anywhere I’m safe.” 

“Daniel and I--” Sean rubbed the back of his neck, “We’re going south. Down to Mexico, to Puerto Lobos. You’re welcome to… Tag along as long as you like.” 

I smiled, the boy’s voice faltering towards the end of his offer. “I’ll think about it. Thanks, Sean.” 

He nodded, a smile on his lips, “Thank  _ you _ , for helping Daniel and I, even when you had no idea who we are.” 

I smiled, nudging him softly with my elbow, “Don’t sweat it.” 

Sean nodded, turning towards the sliding door, “I’m gonna put my stuff into my new bag before Daniel goes through all my stuff.” 

“Good idea.” I smiled, watching as the boy left through the glass door, shutting it behind him.

I sat down in one of the chairs, pulling my feet up to rest on the railing of the deck as I sat my journal in my lap. I pulled a mechanical pencil from my camping bag, pushing down on the eraser until there was enough lead sticking out of the end.

I turned to the journal, flipping through its pages before finding an empty one towards the end of the book. 

_ I’m running out of pages. _

I sighed, hesitating to place the pencil on the lined paper. 

I began to write, thinking through my words carefully at first, but then letting the work write itself as I continued.

Before I could even get halfway through, my focus broke at the sound of a horrified scream, my head spinning to see Daniel, his eyes glued to the television, Sean nowhere in sight. I pushed open the door, my eyes wide as I stared at the television in shock.

On the screen was a news piece, it’s words reading ‘two dead in Seattle Incident’, a picture of a man resembling both of the boys on the screen. 

“ _ Dad _ !” Daniel screamed, my eyes jumping over to the boy, my heart pounding as objects began to lift from their places, shooting across the room as the lights began to flicker. 

“Daniel!” I called, the boy’s eyes shooting towards me. They were bloodshot and full of tears, his expression showing nothing but sorrow and anger, “Listen, I know you’re upset--”

“You  _ too _ ?” Daniel exclaimed as the door across the room from me opened, Sean tearing into the room and coming to an abrupt stop just outside the doorway, closing the door behind him.

“Daniel! Calm down!” Sean yelled, his own panic rising in his voice. 

“You  _ LIED _ !” Daniel screamed, the swirling objects moving faster, forcing me to duck as a ceramic mug crashed against the wall beside me, “Dad! Our dad is  _ dead _ !” 

Sean’s eyes followed his brother’s, landing on the television. His expression dropped as Daniel turned to face his brother, utter loathing in his voice as he spoke, “ _ Why _ ?”

Sean ducked as a vase smashed against the wall, “It was an accident!” Sean’s eyes were beginning to well up with tears as well, “I fucked up, and a cop shot him!”

“No!” Daniel’s voice cracked with disbelief, his shoulders slumping, his anger lessening as he spoke, “ _ No _ ! It’s  _ not _ true!” 

“I’m so sorry…” Sean’s voice broke as he spoke as Daniel pointed angrily to the television.

“Why?” he exclaimed, his hand shaking as he gestured to the TV once more, “ _ Why _ did you  _ LIE  _ to me?!” 

“I was scared, Daniel…” Sean called over all the wind filling the room, moving towards his brother, “I didn’t know what to say…”

“You…” Daniel began to sob, “You should have  _ told  _ me!” 

“I couldn’t believe it either!” Sean cried, “I didn’t mean to!”

Daniel’s voice lowered as his sobs began to fill the air, “It’s not fair…” 

Sean pulled the boy into a hug, Daniel struggling to get away from his brother for a moment before giving up, sobbing profusely, “Hey, I’m here…” Sean spoke through sobs of his own, “It’ll be okay.” 

The two brothers fell to their knees, “No it won’t.” Daniel cried weakly.

The objects abruptly fell to the floor, my eyes tearing away from the brothers and around the completely trashed room.

“I want dad…” Daniel’s broken voice pulled my eyes back to the boys.

“Me, too…” Sean spoke quietly, tears pouring from his eyes. 

“you told me we were gonna see Dad…” Daniel cried softly, pulling away from his brother. 

“I’m sorry,” the older of the two placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders, “I just…” he shook his head.

“Just don’t lie to me ever again.” Daniel sniffed, “Ever.”

“I promise.” Sean nodded, placing a hand on his brother’s head, “I won’t lie to you again. I promise.” 

“I’m serious, Sean…” Daniel frowned, pulling a hand up to wipe his face.

“I know…” the teen nodded, “Me, too, Daniel.” 

Daniel grabbed his brother’s arm, leaning against it as he spoke, “What are we gonna do without him…?”

Sean hushed the boy, “It’s gonna be okay,” he leaned his forehead against Daniel’s “It’s gonna be okay.” 

I watched as Daniel began to cry some more, Sean’s eyes jumping to mine, “Get some rest,  _ enano _ . We’ll figure out what to do next in the morning. 

Daniel nodded, pushing to his feet as Sean did the same. Daniel laid down in the bed, watching as I began to clean up the room, “I’m sorry…” 

“It’s okay, Daniel,” I smiled, “Really.” 

The boy hesitated before nodding, cuddling down into the sheets as he watched Sean move to help me pick up the room. I quickly picked up all the trash off the floor while Sean flipped the tables back onto their feet, organizing the objects from the motel room the same way they had came, his eyes glancing over towards me every once and a while as I tossed the paper and plastic into the trash bin. 

After cleaning the room in its entirety, I turned to look at Daniel, spotting the boy sound asleep, Mushroom curled up beside him on the bed. 

“We should leave early tomorrow morning.” I spoke quietly, “Just keep walking south.” 

“Agreed.” Sean nodded, “Could you set an alarm on the clock for like… six A.M.? I’ll be out on the deck for a bit.”

“Sean,” I spoke, catching the boy’s gaze, “It’s not your fault. I hope you know that.” 

Sean simply nodded before stepping out onto the deck.

~*~

That morning, we took a bus out of Cannon Beach, where the Three Seals Motel was located, Sean and Daniel sitting across the aisle from where I was sitting. I ignored their conversation for the most part, as it was mostly just small talk. But then, Daniel’s words pulled my attention from the journal sitting in my lap.   
Sean… Am I a… a monster…?” Daniel asked, his words quiet, unsure. 

“Nothing is wrong with you,” Sean reassured him, “You’re different.”

“Okay.” Daniel frowned, “What are we gonna do now?”

“I was thinking…” Sean shook his head, “Maybe we could go to  _ Puerto Lobos _ . Where Dad grew up, y’know?”

“Yeah,” Daniel spoke after a moment, his expression lighting up ever so slightly, “I guess.” 

“It’ll be fine, Daniel,” Sean sighed, “There’s nothing we can’t do… As long as we’re together.” 

Sean sent me a glance, his lips pulling into a small smile, one that I returned with a smile of my own.

“Can you tell me a story…?” Daniel asked, leaning into the crook of his brother’s arm, pulling Sean’s attention away from me, “Like he did?”

“I’m not as good as him…” Sean sighed, “He used to tell me bedtime stories, too.” 

I listened in, watching the two brothers, “Once upon a time… In a wild… wild world. There were two wolf brothers, living in their home lair with their papa wolf. They all lived happily together, but… One day, hunters took their Dad away. Forever. So now, the brothers were alone, and they had to find a new home. They started a journey through the great big forest. The wolf brothers wandered for days and nights, learning how to live on their own for the first time… They slept in the backwoods among creepy creatures, and barely ate anything. 

“They eventually found a peaceful orchard, where they were able to eat in peace… But they didn’t know…” Daniel was already asleep by now, but Sean hadn’t noticed, “Hunters tried to tie them up, but the wolf brothers managed to escape with the help of a stray and a friendly bear.” Sean locked eyes with me as he continued, a smile on his lips, “They showed the two wolves how to survive, and helped them find a warm camp for the night. 

“The stray, hardened by her experiences in the wild, yet still caring, stayed with the wolves to keep them safe. She watched over the wolf brothers that night, still staying even after she and the big wolf discovered that the little wolf… was not an ordinary wolf, but a  _ superwolf _ . That’s how they found themselves even further, headed to the faraway land of their papa, where they hope they find peace.”

“I’d say you’re pretty damn good at telling stories,” I smiled, “Better than me, at least.” 

“I doubt that,” Sean let out a huff, “You’re the author, here.” 

“Barely,” I let out a quiet laugh, “It’s just a hobby.” 

“So,” the teen sent me a smile, “Is it accurate?”

My smile grew, knowing full well he was asking if I was going to stay with them, “I slept like a little baby, so I’d say I wasn’t the one watching over you two.” 

Sean’s grin widened, watching as I turned back towards my journal, “I’ll note that, for the next time Daniel asks for a story.” 

I nodded, stowing my notebook away back into my camping bag, “A stray, huh? What kind of stray?”

“I think…” Sean smiled, “A German Shepherd.” 

I shook my head with a laugh, “Okay,  _ Wolfie _ .” 

Sean smiled. 


End file.
